California Town Eyes Its First Indoor Shooting Range

Stan Tuma and Darin Prince, owners of North County Firearms in San Marcos, California, have a vision of something that hasn’t been seen in the town before.

That something is an indoor shooting range. The partners have proposed the indoor range, to be called the North County Shooting Center, in an industrial area north of Route 78.

“The interest in the range has been overwhelming,” Tuma says. The pair are planning a 15,312-square-foot indoor range, with 20 firing lanes, and a firearm retail store.

Tuma and Prince opened their gun store in 2011 with their sights set on an indoor shooting range. Before that can happen, however, changes would have to be made in San Marcos’ zoning rules.

Shooting ranges aren’t specifically mentioned in the rules. The San Marcos Planning Commission is meeting Tuesday to consider amending the rules.

So far, city staff members have recommended that the Planning Commission approve the amendment to allow indoor shooting ranges. After that, the San Marcos City Council would still have to approve the changes, which could take place at the City Council’s Feb. 9 meeting.

According to Prince, if the project is approved, construction could begin in March with a possible November opening.